Carnivore otocinclus?

Zoe · 04-13-2007, 08:38 PM

My oto cats have been terrorizing my angels - sucking on their sides; and I caught them eating the innards of a dead clam (I don't think they killed it though).

Is this normal? I thought they were strictly herbivores.

swordtailbreedr · 04-13-2007, 08:42 PM

it may be a chinese algea eater they look very similair and luv to suck angels

Zoe · 04-13-2007, 08:56 PM

Nope, I'm 100% certain they're otos. I removed the one that was bugging the angelfish the most, but there are still some chowing down on the clam meat.

Giddy012 · 04-13-2007, 09:34 PM

Do you have a pic?

Zoe · 04-13-2007, 09:45 PM

No... of what? Why? It's an Oto... no question.

**JustOneMore20** · 04-13-2007, 10:28 PM

I have heard that Otos will occasionally suck the slime coats off other fish. I have caught one of mine "cleaning" another, or atleast thats what it looked like. I also thought they were strictly herbivores but mine will sometimes eat shrimp pellets, along with their algae wafers, so I know they have to be somewhat omnivorous.

247Plants · 04-15-2007, 10:45 PM

I hear a lot of stories about carnivore otos and I have to say I have seen mine eating brine shrimp, I have yet to see them suck on any of my fish and I have 19 of the little guys.

mousey · 04-16-2007, 01:09 PM

SAE's look nothing like otos anyway Sword luver.They have totally different body shapes and are really hard to confuse.
My otos only seem to eat algae but who knows what they do in the night when I put in shrimp pellets for the loach.
I have seen them eating dead fish in the lfs-- just thought it was because they were starving-- no algae in the tank nor food.

**Baby_Baby** · 04-16-2007, 02:28 PM

JustOneMore20 is correct, otos will suck the slime coats that are on other fish.

SIAMESE ALGAE EATER:

OTOCINCLUS:

Picture Refrences:

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_oto.php
http://www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae/SAE_ID.jpg

Links to More Oto Information:
http://www.petfish.net/articles/Catf...os_indepth.php
http://www.fishlore.com/profiles_otocinclus.htm
http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesw...article_id=178

swordtailbreedr · 04-16-2007, 02:52 PM

yes i mean to say chinese algea eater which look very similer when juvies

**Damon** · 04-16-2007, 03:15 PM

Easy to tell the difference between otos and CAEs but I can see how one could mistake them.

Otos are normally peaceful but on occasion they have been known to suck slime (we believe). Could be desperate searching for food. There are many species of otos (at least 12) and they are very hard to tell apart. The most common 2 (IME), are vittatus and affinis.

swordtailbreedr · 04-16-2007, 04:44 PM

Yes but when they are juvies people make mistakes somtimes

04-13-2007, 08:38 PM	#1
Zoe <·)))< Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ottawa Age: 22 Posts: 1,030 User Feedback: (0)	Carnivore otocinclus? My oto cats have been terrorizing my angels - sucking on their sides; and I caught them eating the innards of a dead clam (I don't think they killed it though). Is this normal? I thought they were strictly herbivores. __________________ 90g pltd: angelfish [black, leopard, platinum, silver zebra & gold vt] · glass catfish · harlequin rasbora · neon & rummy nosed tetra · sterpai & spotted cory · bristlenose pleco 28g pltd: scarlet badis · oto cats · bristlenose 16g pltd: flame & honey gourami · cherry barbs 8g (soon to be 18g): 15 lbs LR · 10 lbs LS · YSP · zoas · shrooms · flame & hammer corals · brittle star · scarlet & electric blue hermits · firefish

04-13-2007, 08:42 PM	#2
swordtailbreedr Banned Join Date: Mar 2007 Age: 16 Posts: 400 User Feedback: (0)	it may be a chinese algea eater they look very similair and luv to suck angels Last edited by swordtailbreedr; 04-16-2007 at 04:43 PM.

04-13-2007, 08:56 PM	#3
Zoe <·)))< Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ottawa Age: 22 Posts: 1,030 User Feedback: (0)	Nope, I'm 100% certain they're otos. I removed the one that was bugging the angelfish the most, but there are still some chowing down on the clam meat. __________________ 90g pltd: angelfish [black, leopard, platinum, silver zebra & gold vt] · glass catfish · harlequin rasbora · neon & rummy nosed tetra · sterpai & spotted cory · bristlenose pleco 28g pltd: scarlet badis · oto cats · bristlenose 16g pltd: flame & honey gourami · cherry barbs 8g (soon to be 18g): 15 lbs LR · 10 lbs LS · YSP · zoas · shrooms · flame & hammer corals · brittle star · scarlet & electric blue hermits · firefish

04-13-2007, 09:34 PM	#4
Giddy012 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Age: 24 Posts: 230 User Feedback: (0)	Do you have a pic? __________________ 10gal. Planted (1) Pitbull Pleco (2) Bolivian Rams (3) Erhartdi Cories 20gal. Long Planted (1) Otos (5) Guppies (3) Panda Cories Uncountable fry

04-13-2007, 09:45 PM	#5
Zoe <·)))< Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ottawa Age: 22 Posts: 1,030 User Feedback: (0)	No... of what? Why? It's an Oto... no question. __________________ 90g pltd: angelfish [black, leopard, platinum, silver zebra & gold vt] · glass catfish · harlequin rasbora · neon & rummy nosed tetra · sterpai & spotted cory · bristlenose pleco 28g pltd: scarlet badis · oto cats · bristlenose 16g pltd: flame & honey gourami · cherry barbs 8g (soon to be 18g): 15 lbs LR · 10 lbs LS · YSP · zoas · shrooms · flame & hammer corals · brittle star · scarlet & electric blue hermits · firefish

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04-13-2007, 10:28 PM	#6
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alabama, US Age: 22 Posts: 3,366 User Feedback: (2)	I have heard that Otos will occasionally suck the slime coats off other fish. I have caught one of mine "cleaning" another, or atleast thats what it looked like. I also thought they were strictly herbivores but mine will sometimes eat shrimp pellets, along with their algae wafers, so I know they have to be somewhat omnivorous. __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 10g, 5.5g 10g N. multifasciatus tank, 5.5g Platy fry

04-15-2007, 10:45 PM	#7
247Plants Fishy Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Age: 33 Posts: 14 User Feedback: (0)	I hear a lot of stories about carnivore otos and I have to say I have seen mine eating brine shrimp, I have yet to see them suck on any of my fish and I have 19 of the little guys.

04-16-2007, 01:09 PM	#8
mousey Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 763 User Feedback: (0)	SAE's look nothing like otos anyway Sword luver.They have totally different body shapes and are really hard to confuse. My otos only seem to eat algae but who knows what they do in the night when I put in shrimp pellets for the loach. I have seen them eating dead fish in the lfs-- just thought it was because they were starving-- no algae in the tank nor food. __________________ mousey Toronto. Canada

04-16-2007, 02:28 PM	#9
Baby_Baby Friendly Neighborhood Mod Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,512 User Feedback: (0)	JustOneMore20 is correct, otos will suck the slime coats that are on other fish. SIAMESE ALGAE EATER: OTOCINCLUS: Picture Refrences: http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_oto.php http://www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae/SAE_ID.jpg Links to More Oto Information: http://www.petfish.net/articles/Catf...os_indepth.php http://www.fishlore.com/profiles_otocinclus.htm http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesw...article_id=178 __________________ *Emotion is energy in motion.*

04-16-2007, 02:52 PM	#10
swordtailbreedr Banned Join Date: Mar 2007 Age: 16 Posts: 400 User Feedback: (0)	yes i mean to say chinese algea eater which look very similer when juvies

04-16-2007, 03:15 PM	#11
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	Easy to tell the difference between otos and CAEs but I can see how one could mistake them. Otos are normally peaceful but on occasion they have been known to suck slime (we believe). Could be desperate searching for food. There are many species of otos (at least 12) and they are very hard to tell apart. The most common 2 (IME), are vittatus and affinis. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

04-16-2007, 04:44 PM	#12
swordtailbreedr Banned Join Date: Mar 2007 Age: 16 Posts: 400 User Feedback: (0)	Yes but when they are juvies people make mistakes somtimes

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